WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best of the past week: X-Files, Season 10 #1 – The biggest challenge for a comic like this is whether it feels authentic.  This is a comic intended for fans of the X-Files TV series that ran from 1994 – 2002 and it needs to feel like the show they loved, otherwise there isn’t a whole lot of point to the comic series even existing (other than to grab some cash before fans discover the series isn’t very good).  This comic really overwhelmed me with how much the characters in the comic felt exactly like the characters from the TV show.  When I read it, it was almost like David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson and Mitch Pileggi were reading the word balloons to me.  I credit this to three things: one, the artwork captures the basic look and feel of those actors without being too photo-realistic; two, the setting seems like a real X-Files story; and third, the dialogue seems like it could have actually been from an X-Files episode that they just never got around to filming.  It’s really good.  Close runner-up: Transformers: More than Meets the Eye #19 (This series is outstanding!).

Most anticipated this week: Lots and lots of goodies this week.  Probably the longest my pull list has been in months….

1). The Wake #2 – Easy, easy call.  Even in a crowded week, the chance to see more of this underwater, supernatural horror-ish series from Sean Murphy and Scott Snyder really has me excited.  I really want to know more about that monster they had in chains!

2). Lazarus #1 – Greg Rucka and Michael Lark teaming up to tell the story of a powerful woman heroine in a dystopian setting?  How can that be anything but good?

3). The Massive #13 – It’s funny, I often find myself nit-picking on The Massive in reviews, but I’ll be damned if the comic doesn’t give me something to talk about.  Others who have written reviews know what I’m talking about: sometimes a work just doesn’t give you anything to react to even when the work is quite good.  The Massive always has something special about it, even when it disappoints me.

4). All-New X-Men #13 – I’m a little amazed at how much I enjoy this series.  A year or so ago, I was pretty sure that I was done with Big 2 superhero comics, but much of the Marvel Now stuff is really tickling me.  It just shows what happens when you let good creators tell stories that aren’t all tied to stupid “events”. ANXM is as good as any X-Men series has ever been and I love it for helping me rediscover the love of Big 2 superhero books.

5). FF #8 – Isn’t it amazing how much better this is than Fantastic Four?  FF is funky and funny and fun.  I LOVE the Michael & Laura Allred art team.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Loose Ends #2 – This series just keeps on bringing it.  I always shake my head at people who anoint a series as “great” after one issue because so many fail to follow through, but Loose Ends seems to be doing it.  For one thing, the art is just electric, but in a very different way than the first issue (which was a showcase for Rico Renzi, the colorist) as Chris Brunner goes into a flashback style that has dot-overlay over the top of his expressive inks.  It’s really nice.  And, Jason Latour is showing that he really understands how to pace a crime story.  After tossing us into the middle of things in #1, he starts to make clear the relationships between all the players.  It’s really good.  If you enjoy Criminal, check it out.  As a bonus, you can order it directly on the 12 Gauge Comics website, so no need to screw around with your LCS and waiting weeks.  Runner-up: Daredevil #2

Most Anticipated: X-Men Legacy #254 – I was very tempted to put American Vampire #18 here, but I give Scott Snyder’s outstanding series plenty of love in this space, so how about focus on the X-title that no one talks about: X-Men Legacy.  The only cool thing to come out of that horrid Age of X “event” was that the Revenant character was a psychic manifestation of Rachel Summers.  X-fans will remember that Rachel (along with Havok & Polaris) have been “lost in space” since the Rise and Fall of the Shi’ar Empire storyline that Ed Brubaker told back in Uncanny X-Men #475-486.  So, this should be fun because (a) Rachel and Polaris are fun characters…..Havok is a big “meh” and (b) we are overdue for some X-Men in Space action.

Other Picks: American Vampire #18, Graveyard of Empires #2, Kick Ass 2 #3, X-Men #16, FF #8

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: X-Men: Schism #3 – While Schism #3 wasn’t something I’d put in the top comics of the year, it had good fun, including jetpacks, car theft, calorie-reduced Hellfire Club members, and guns that shot face-sucking aliens. It ain’t Tolstoy, but it wasn’t boring. And Acuña on art was a delight.

Most Anticipated: X-Men #16 – C’mon! Doctor Doom? One of Marvel’s premiere super-villains of all time? Against the X-Men? I can’t wait!

Other Picks: Avengelyne #2, Astonishing X-Men #41, Kevin Smith’s Bionic Man #1